Obituary of Sylvia Josephine Rittenhouse Manson

Sylvia Josephine Rittenhouse Manson passed away peacefully in her home with her daughters by her side on the evening of March 6th. She was born in Santa Cruz on a rainy February 11th in 1938 to Emmet and Hazel Rittenhouse. Sylvia's magical childhood was spent at their home on High Street where she and her cousins, Rene and Dick Deane, filled their days with adventures that made for stories that never grew old. As a young girl she joined Theta Rho and later Rebekah's. Sylvia graduated from Santa Cruz High School and married Maynard Manson in 1955. They had four girls; Cindy, Marcy, Monica and Parise. They raised the girls in the home Sylvia inherited from her grandfather on Ocean View Avenue. Sylvia spent many years painting, landscaping, and remodeling her cherished home. She knew her grandfather would be proud of how she carried on his knack for design with her work on the Ocean View house, which he began in 1934. As a young mother she enjoyed working on the local Kiddie Parades, running many fund raisers and being class room-mother for her girls. She always had a flair for creativity that was admired and shared by those around her. She taught herself how to cover shoes with remnant material to match the dresses she had sewn herself. She stripped, refurbished, and painted countless pieces of furniture and taught others to do the same. She also sewed and designed items, always incorporating her favorite color, purple. Sylvia loved to cook for her family tailoring each recipe with flavors that left you wanting more. Sylvia purchased her brother Louis' clothing store, the Copper Flower moving it to Pacific Avenue, and shifted the focus of the store to serve plus-sized women. She then turned her attention to purchasing homes, remodeling, and adding to her collection of rentals about town. She was an avid Fox News viewer and a conservative through and through. Sylvia was known for her love of Disney. Her Havenese dogs, Thunder, Jet, Phoebe, Cookie and Oreo were the sunshine in her life. If you didn't know of her love for dogs you didn't know Sylvia. Sylvia was known to her grandchildren as Grandma Goodie. She accepted that moniker with pride as she always had some sort of goodies, ranging from malt balls to cookies or cakes, just waiting to be eaten by her family and friends. She regularly called her home 'Grand Central Station' as that is where she enjoyed entertaining with gatherings around her kitchen table or poolside. Sylvia leaves behind her beloved four legged friends, and Daughter Cindy (Shepherd), Daughter Marcy and husband Kenneth (Kohler), Daughter Monica and husband Kevin (Melrose), Daughter Parise and husband John (Pak), and Daughter Becky Lahr. Also her Grandsons Matthew and Gregory (Kohler), Chase and Connor (Shepherd), Hunter (Melrose) and Rhys and Hudson (Pak) and granddaughter Cali (Melrose) and her brother and business partner, Louis Rittenhouse. Sylvia's family would like to thank Jose Martinez for his dedication, love and work ethic demonstrated to their mother for twenty five years. We will miss Sylvia, our mother, grandmother, trusted friend, and advisor. She was a truly generous, strong, creative, and beautiful woman. She lived life on her own terms. In lieu of flowers Sylvia would be honored to have you make a donation to Hospice of Santa Cruz or Santa Cruz SPCA. We would like to thank Rachel Kuo and her many caregivers; Lucena Carey, Rholyn Guillory and Dalisay Parunago. Also, thank you to caregivers Erika Guido, Emily Clarke, Taylor Large, Rosa Martinez, Stephanie Martinez and Chloe Allison. The family will be having a private ceremony and interment. Friends and family please join us for a celebration of life being held on Sunday, March 18 from 1-5pm at the family home at 12495 Lorenzo Avenue in Boulder Creek.